SAN FRANCISCO — After two seasons of being unable to keep up in the standings and several years of falling behind in modern player development, the Cardinals are poised to detail a “shift in direction†that will restructure their baseball operations and shape the major league roster while relying on returning leaders to guide this transition.
President of baseball operations John Mozeliak and manager Oliver Marmol will return for 2025 in their roles, the Cardinals told the Post-Dispatch. Adjustments are planned within the front office and organization to include investment in player development and technology, expanding staff and increased influence for executive Chaim Bloom among other moves. As Mozeliak said in a phone interview Sunday with the Post-Dispatch: “Changes are coming.â€
“We’re shifting to a heavy emphasis that puts it back on scouting and player development,†Mozeliak said. “I would say that over the past 10 years or so we’ve run a lean operation, and part of that was to allow us to maximize success at the major league level. But over time, you learn that machine can wear down. It’s just not producing at the level it once did. That’s not to say our minor leagues are in disarray. But an emphasis on infrastructure is something we have been taking a very serious look at.
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“It’s obviously going to be a shift in philosophy,†he added. “Instead of looking for short-term answers, we’re going to try to take more of a long view.â€
More details on the “directional shift†are planned for Monday.
Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. will hold a news conference at Busch Stadium on Monday afternoon to address a season that saw withering attendance, a second season outside of the playoffs and an 11th October since a National League pennant. He also will explain the team’s changes in emphasis and some of the personnel decisions related to that goal.
The Post-Dispatch asked Mozeliak, who has one year remaining on his contract, what his role will be, and he confirmed he’ll remain president of baseball operations. He has previously said 2025 will be his final year in that role.
When asked, he acknowledged there will be a restructuring within the front office.
Bloom's role to increase
Bloom, who ran baseball operations for Boston and Tampa Bay, spent the past year auditing and reviewing the Cardinals organization, visiting every level and the academy in the Dominican Republic, and spending time with officials and coaches throughout the system. His influence will expand to include shaping player development as well as input on major league decisions.
“He’ll have a more impactful role,†Mozeliak said. “His voice on the decision tree is going up. He’s no longer observing. It’s about helping implement a plan.â€
DeWitt will outline other roles and responsibilities.
Mozeliak did confirm that Marmol will remain manager, and he has been involved in player development advancements at the major league level that will filter to the lower levels with an increase in resources. A player and coach during a stretch of robust player development for the Cardinals, Marmol, 38, signed a contract extension during spring training through 2026.
“As we shift, I think Oli is going to be someone who has a tremendous coaching and development background,†Mozeliak said. “So I think some of his strengths will really shine as we make that shift directionally on what we’re going to look like for the next couple of years.â€
Discussions about the makeup of Marmol's staff for 2025 are ongoing, though some decisions are expected by Monday.
The Cardinals’ 6-1 victory Sunday at San Francisco to close the season puts Marmol’s three-year record at 247-239, with the NL Central division title in 2022.
The win in the finale featured rookie pitcher Michael McGreevy pitching eight innings to finish 3-0 in the majors. Two likely members of the team’s lineup for 2025, Brendan Donovan and Alec Burleson, combined to go 4 for 7 with five RBIs. Donovan homered and reached base seven times in the final two games of his season. Burleson led the Cardinals with 78 RBIs this season.
After the game, Marmol said a young core could give the Cardinals more consistency as a contender. The club has won one playoff series since 2014.
“We need to build this group and get them ready to go on a real run, not just compete every now and then and make a playoff every other year,†Marmol said. “This is a group that we need to come together and continue to develop them. It’s a young group, but it’s a good group. At the end of the day, I think there is a bright future ahead.â€
John Mozeliak, Cardinals president of baseball operations, talks with first baseman Paul Goldschmidt on the first day of workouts for the full squad on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, at the team’s spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla.
'Directional shift'
A “directional shift†could first surface this winter in decisions made for the major league roster.
The Cardinals hold options for 2025 on veteran starters Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn. Letting both lapse would reduce $22 million in spending. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt will reach free agency in a month, and as his market develops, the Cardinals’ direction will shape interest in a reunion on both sides. After a record 49 saves at closer, Ryan Helsley is set for an arbitration jackpot, but he also will command interest from other teams and a significant return for a team looking beyond 2025, Helsley’s final year under control.
At 83-79, the Cardinals finished tied with the Cubs for second in the NL Central. They avoided becoming the first Cardinals club in 65 years to have a losing record in back-to-back full schedules. But a slow start combined with an offense that lagged all season and down years from stars Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado showed up in more places than the standings.
For the first time since moving into the current Busch Stadium, in 2006, the Cardinals failed to sell 3 million tickets.
Not too long ago they banked on selling 3.2 million, at least.
The Cardinals finished seventh in the majors for tickets sold, at 2.87 million, but no-shows were notable. Outside of the limited seating of 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19 restrictions, most of the lowest turnstile counts in Busch Stadium III history came this season.
Mozeliak was asked if fans delivered a message.
“Obviously we’ve always tried to take a lot of pride in our product,†Mozeliak said. “I do think for two years in a row getting off to a slow start in April has certainly had an adverse effect on our attendance. When you look at the past 15, 20 years, we were typically coming out of April or May hitting our stride. I understand from a fan perspective expectations are high. I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t notice it. We certainly want to get back to creating a game-day experience that our fans appreciate and want to experience and enjoy.
“Part of that obviously is winning baseball. Part of that is enhancing that experience.â€
Tougher times
In 2011, the Cardinals pulled off the rare double of winning the World Series championship and ranking No. 1 in minor league talent and depth. The farm system sustained a contender for several more years. But a series of trades and hacking sanctions that cost them draft picks in 2017 began a creep of concern. Mozeliak mentioned his worry that the Cardinals had lost an edge when he was promoted to president of baseball operations in 2017.
The erosion accelerated in years since.
A planned pitching lab experienced delays, as did the overhaul of the Cardinals’ player development complex in Jupiter, Florida. A mobile lab was set up for spring the past two years. Pitch-crafting technology that is several years old for rivals such as the Brewers and Dodgers is only starting to be used more broadly for the Cardinals. And staffing has been lacking.
The Cardinals reduced staff during the pandemic — that included former players such as Chris Carpenter leaving roles — and they’ve yet to replace some of the positions or programs downsized. Some of the spending shifted to the major league roster; other openings weren’t filled.
That includes the field coordinator job for the minors.
This past season, as an example, assistant general manager Moises Rodriguez had a larger role in day-to-day international operations because the director departed.
The Cardinals plan to hire a farm director as Gary LaRocque retires from the role and into an adviser position for 2025. When asked if the “directional shift†means an increase in staffing for the minors, Mozeliak signaled there would be growth in both player development and international programs.
“One of the things that we understand is investing in and seeing internal growth happen,†Mozeliak said. “So we’ll try to take a lot of the things that we were successful at and keep doing that. But we also recognize there is a new age of baseball being done at the major league level, and that is something we also want and must invest in and explore.â€
